Wheel for hay rakes and loaders.



No. 676,320. Patented lune ll, l90l.

G. A. JOHNSON.

WHEEL FOB HAY RAKES AND LOADERS.

I Application filed I'e'n. 5, 1901.]

(N0 Model.)

a n can oz Witnesses A UNITED STATES PATENT forms.

GUSTAVE A. JoHNsONpOF'VERONA, NEBRASKA.

WHEEL FOR HAY RAKES AND LOADERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 676,320, dated June 11, 1901. Application filed February 6, 190d; 'Serlal No. 46,104. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

. Be it known that I, Gusrnvn A. JOHNSON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Verona, in the county of Glay and State of Nebraska,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wheels for Hay-Rakes and Hay-Loaders; and I do'declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to improvements in wheels for hay-rakes andhay-loaders, and particularly to a shield attachment therefor, wherebythe hay isprevented from roping and becoming entangled with the spokesand hub of the wheel, and thus interfering with the operation of therake or loader and with the proper formation of the windrows.

It is well known that in using the ordinary wheeled dumping-rake greatinconvenience and annoyance are caused, particularly in windy weather,by strands of hay being caught up by the spokes of the wheels and formedinto a ropy mass, which becomes entangled with said spokes and the hubsof the wheels, and thus interferes to a material extent with theoperation of the rake and the proper deposit of the hay into Windrows.This difficulty is of common occurrence, and to keep the rake in properworking order the driver is compelled to frequently leave his seat andto remove the ropy mass of hay referred to. This is objectionable forthe above and other obvious reasons and causes much loss of time inkeeping the wheels clear.

The object of the present invention is to provide a shield-attachmentfor the wheels of such implements which will prevent the passage of thehay through the wheels, and thereby obviate all liability ofinterference with the proper operation of the implement, and which willfurther prevent the hay from being scattered when deposited upon theground in windy weather.

With this and other objects in view the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts,which will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointedout in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an outer side elevation of awheel equipped with my invention. Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectionthereof. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the blank from which the shield ismade.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like referencecharacters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,the numeral 1 designates the rim of a wheel of the character described,2 the hub thereof, and 3 and 4 the inner and outer series of spokesconnecting the ends of the hub with said rim.

In carrying my invention into practice I provide a shield 5, composed ofa circular piece of sheet metal of a size to correspond approximatelywith the internal circumfer ence of the rim 1, said shield being formedfrom a blank of the character shown in Fig. 3. This blank consists of aflat circular piece of sheet metal formed with a central circularopening 6 and at a suitable point with a radial slit 7, extending fromthe said opening through the rim or outer edge of the blank. Incompleting the formation of the shield from the blank shown in Fig. 3the disk or piece of sheet metal is given a dished form and the ends ofthe radially-slit portion made to overlap and are soldered or rivetedtogether. In applying the completed shield to the wheel said shield isarranged upon the inner side of the wheel, with its concave side facingoutwardly and its convex side inwardly and also with. its centralopening arranged to receive theinner projecting flanged end of the hubof the wheel, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, the shield being of such sizeas to completely fill the internal space formed by the rim and to lieagainst the inner surface thereof and against the contiguous series ofspokes 3. The shield is then secured to the wheel by means of, straps 8,embracing the spokes 3 and riveted to said shield. By this constructiona firm and durable connection is afforded to secure and maintain theshield firmly in position against buckling. The shield being thusarranged to close the space or opening formed by the rim, it will beobvious that no strands of hay can pass therethrough and wind about theaxle and hub of the wheel and interfere with the proper motion of therake or action of the parts in dumping the raked hay. In addition theshield will also prevent the,passage of, aircurrents through the wheeland will "thus serve to prevent the hay from being scattered in windyweather. The perfect formation of the windrows is thus insured andvaluable time and labor saved.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction, mode of operation, andadvantages of my invention will be readily understood without anextended description. 1 Changes in the form, proportion, andminordetails of the construction may be made 'within the scope of theinvention Without depart ing from the spirit or sacrificing any of theadvantages thereof. 1 Having thus fully described my invention,What-Iclairn as new,'and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

I n a. shield for wheels of the character de- 2o ing only the internalcircumference of the rim with its concave side outwardly disposed, saiddisk being provided with overlapping ends and with an opening for thereception of the adjacent end of the wheel-hub, and fastenings securingthe shield to spokes of the WheeLsubstantiaHy as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribingwit 'nesses.

VVitnesses'r JOHN ALBERT ASPEGREN, CLAUD R. JOHNSON.

